Percabeth Moments in Percy & Annabeth's POV
by jade1141
Summary: Rick Riordan's version of Percabeth moments and mine from Annabeth's POV
1. Titan's Curse First Dance

Percy's POV

Annabeth had grown taller than me since last summer, which I found kind of disturbing.

She used to wear no jewelry except for her Camp Half-Blood bead necklace, but now she

wore little silver earrings shaped like owls—the symbol of her mother, Athena. She pulled off her ski cap, and her long blond hair tumbled down her shoulders. It made her look older, for some reason.

"So…" I tried to think of something to say. _Act natural_, Thalia had told us. When you're

a half-blood on a dangerous mission, what the heck is natural? "Um, design any good

buildings lately?"

Annabeth's eyes lit up, the way they always did when she talked about architecture. "Oh

my gods, Percy. At my new school, I get to take 3-D design as an elective, and there's this cool computer program…"

She went on to explain how she'd designed this huge monument that she wanted to build

at Ground Zero in Manhattan. She talked about structural supports and facades and stuff, and I tried to listen. I knew she wanted to be a super architect when she grew up—she loves math and historical buildings and all that—but I hardly understood a word she was saying.

The truth was I was kind of disappointed to hear that she liked her new school so much.

It was the first time she'd gone to school in New York. I'd been hoping to see her more often.

It was a boarding school in Brooklyn, and she and Thalia were both attending, close enough to Camp Half-Blood that Chiron could help if they got in any trouble. Because it was an all girls school, and I was going to MS-54 in Manhattan, I hardly ever saw them.

Yeah, uh, cool," I said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"

Her face got dark. "Well, maybe, if I don't—"

"Hey!" Thalia called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all

over himself, kicking Thalia in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die. At least his feet were fake. Unlike me, he had an excuse for being clumsy.

"Dance, you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."

I looked nervously at Annabeth, then at the groups of girls who were roaming the gym.

"Well?" Annabeth said.

"Um, who should I ask?"

She punched me in the gut. "_Me_, Seaweed Brain."

"Oh. Oh, right."

So we went onto the dance floor, and I looked over to see how Thalia and Grover were

doing things. I put one hand on Annabeth's hip, and she clasped my other hand like she was about to judo throw me.

"I'm not going to bite," she told me. "Honestly, Percy. Don't you guys have dances at

your school?"

I didn't answer. The truth was we did. But I'd never, like, actually _danced _at one. I was

usually one of the guys playing basketball in the corner.

We shuffled around for a few minutes. I tried to concentrate on little things, like the

crepe-paper streamers and the punch bowl—anything but the fact that Annabeth was taller than me, and my hands were sweaty and probably gross, and I kept stepping on her toes.

Annabeth's POV

Percy had definitely grown a little taller since last year, but he missed my massive growth spurt by a few inches. His clear green eyes still had a touch of uncertainty and confusion, as always. One side of his hair was neatly combed, but the other half stuck up in all different directions, kind of comically. Like Sally chased him around his apartment with a hairbrush or something. But something about him…looked older. Looking at him made me nervous for some reason.

"So…design any good buildings lately?" he asked. The light bulb in my head went off. If you knew me at all, you would know I absolutely _love_ architecture. Before I knew it, I was having a one-sided, rambling conversation about my ideas for Ground Zero in Manhattan. It would be complicated, and even taller than the Twin Towers, so it would need extra structural supports…

"Yeah, uh, cool," he said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"

_Yeah_, I thought, _as long as our monster friends suddenly start leaving me alone_. "Well, maybe, if I don't—"

"Hey!" Thalia called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all over himself, kicking Thalia in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die.

"Dance, you guys!" Thalia ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."

I sighed. Dancing just wasn't my thing, but if we _had _to, you know, for this mission…

I glanced at Percy. He wasn't looking so good. He almost looked nauseous, like he just got off a roller coaster from hell. He looked back at me, green in the face, and then at the packs of valley girls wandering throughout the gym, giggling and preying on sad, lonely boys. He wasn't really considering them, was he? Especially when I was standing there right next to him?

"Well?" I asked, prodding him gently.

"Um, who should I ask?"

Apparently I didn't make it obvious enough. I punched him in the gut. "_Me_, Seaweed Brain."

"Oh." He swallowed. "Oh, right."

So we walked to the crowded dance floor, and he looked at Grover for help. I rolled my eyes. Boys.

He put one hand on my hip, and I grabbed his other hand, but I probably wasn't doing it right. He looked like he was going to pass out or something. It was weird though. I felt oddly jittery, like I had just downed an entire Starbucks store worth of coffee

"I'm not going to bite," I told him. "Honestly, Percy. Don't you guys have dances at your school?" The truth was, though, that we didn't really have dances at my school either. Being all girls, and everything. I was probably dancing just as badly as him, but I concealed it better than he did.

He just looked away, at the streamers, at the punch bowl, anything except me. We shuffled around for a few minutes, through an insidious boy-band song. He kept stepping on my toes. Ouch, painful. Dancing was weird, but it felt kind of nice too.


	2. Titan's Curse Last Dance

Percy's POV

"Percy!" Annabeth said, running through the crowd. She stopped short when she saw

who I was talking to. "Oh… Mom."

"I will leave you," Athena said. "For now."

She turned and strode through the crowds, which parted before her as if she were

carrying Aegis.

"Was she giving you a hard time?" Annabeth asked.

"No," I said. "It's… fine."

She studied me with concern. She touched the new streak of gray in my hair that

matched hers exactly—our painful souvenir from holding Atlas's burden. There was a lot I'd wanted to say to Annabeth, but Athena had taken the confidence out of me. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

_I do not approve of your friendship with my daughter._

"So," Annabeth said. "What did you want to tell me earlier?"

The music was playing. People were dancing in the streets. I said, "I, uh, was thinking

we got interrupted at Westover Hall. And… I think I owe you a dance."

She smiled slowly. "All right, Seaweed Brain."

So I took her hand, and I don't know what everybody else heard, but to me it sounded

like a slow dance: a little sad, but maybe a little hopeful, too.

Annabeth's POV

Where was that boy? He would be there when a Titan was holding me ransom and threatening his life, but he couldn't be here during a really fun party? I combed through the crowds for his brooding posture and dark hair. I really need to talk to him, ask him what the heck he was talking about.

I spotted him, his back turned, hands jammed in his pockets, looking really demoralized.

"Percy!" I shouted, running towards him. I was about to crash into him and grab his shoulders when I stopped suddenly. "Oh…Mom." She stood imperiously, but as soon as she saw me, her face softened a little bit. He, on the other hand, looked like she just smacked him across the face.

"I will leave you," my mom said. "For now." She strode through the crowd, which parted in front of her. Some particularly scared minor gods knelt to her.

"Was she giving you a hard time?" I asked. Percy _really_ didn't look okay. He looked too sad for someone who just completed a successful mission and saved a goddess. Plus me.

"No," he murmured. "It's… fine."

I looked at him with concern. He looked so much older than the clueless boy I first met at camp two years ago. I mean, he looked good. Just sad. I touched the streak of grey in his hair, matching mine exactly. We were bound in a way, by our sacrifice in holding Atlas's burden. We both took it and survived.

The music was playing. People were dancing in the streets. My heart instinctively beat faster for some reason. I thought about his stumbling outburst when Artemis was about to announce her new lieutenant. _I couldn't stand it if… I don't want you to—_he had said. No, he wouldn't say what I was thinking…he wouldn't. _Would he?_

"So," I said. "What did you want to tell me earlier?"

He said, "I, uh, was thinking we got interrupted at Westover Hall. And… I think I owe you a dance."

That couldn't be it. An unexpected rush in my heart dropped into disappointment. I scolded myself silently. What exactly was I hoping for him to say anyway? I didn't think of him like that. I blinked myself back into reality. He was giving me that hopeful big-green-eyed look that he knew I wouldn't say no to.

I smiled slowly. "All right, Seaweed Brain."


	3. Random Moment

Percy's POV

Quintus kept rattling off names until he said, "Percy Jackson with Annabeth Chase."

"Nice." I grinned at Annabeth.

"Your armor is crooked," was her only comment, and she redid my straps for me.

Annabeth's POV

Quintus kept rattling off names until he said, "Percy Jackson with Annabeth Chase."

"Nice." His face cracked into a heart-stuttering grin. _Stop it_, I told myself. _It's Percy. What the hell are you thinking?_

"Your armor is crooked," was the only thing I said, as I redid his straps. Anything was better than looking up at his face and feeling so strangely jittery again.


	4. Prophecy

Percy's POV

"What was the last line?" 

Then she did something that really surprised me. She blinked back tears and put out her arms.

I stepped forward and hugged her. Butterflies started turning my stomach into a mosh pit.

"Hey, it's…it's okay." I patted her back. I was aware of everything in the room. I felt like I could read the tiniest print on any book on the shelves. Annabeth's hair smelled like lemon soap. She was shivering.

"Chiron might be right," she muttered. "I'm breaking the rules. But I don't know what else to do. I need you three. It just feels right."

"Then don't worry about it," I managed. "We've had plenty of problems before, and we solved them."

"This is different. I don't want anything happening to…any of you."

Behind me, somebody cleared his throat.

It was one of Annabeth's half-brothers, Malcolm. His face was bright red.

"Um, sorry," he said. "Archery practice is starting, Annabeth. Chiron said to come find you."

I stepped away from Annabeth. "We were just looking at maps," I said stupidly.

Malcolm stared at me. "Okay."

"Tell Chiron I'll be right there," Annabeth said, and Malcom left in a hurry.

Annabeth rubbed her eyes. "You go ahead, Percy. I'd better get ready for archery."

I nodded, feeling more confused than I ever had in my life. I wanted to run from the cabin…but then again I didn't.

Annabeth's POV

"What was the last line?"

I broke down at that point. Athena always had a plan, but I really didn't this time. T_o lose a love to worse than death._ I had to tell myself the truth. I didn't know who that was going to be. I was going to let my emotions put either my worst enemy or my best friend in danger. I felt tears springing up, hot in my eyes, and I held out my arms.

Seaweed Brain took the hint and stepped forward to hug me. Despite the fact that my world was collapsing around me, I still felt pesky jitters running around my nerves, making me shiver in spite of myself. He felt warm and comforting like the ocean.

"Hey, it's…it's okay," he breathed into my hair, sending tingles down my spine. He patted my back, and I felt calm again. He was pretty good at that, I had to admit.

"Chiron might be right," I muttered. "I'm breaking the rules. But I don't know what else to do. I need you three. It just feels right."

"Then don't worry about it," he said reassuringly. "We've had plenty of problems before, and we solved them."

"This is different," I whispered. _I don't want you to die. _"I don't want anything happening to…any of you."

Behind me, somebody cleared his throat.

Oh. It was Malcolm. His face was bright red. Percy's matched.

"Um, sorry," he said. "Archery practice is starting, Annabeth. Chiron said to come find you."

Percy stepped away from me as quickly as possible. "We were just looking at maps," he tried to explain. I held back a laugh. He was still clueless at these kinds of things.

Malcolm stared at Percy like lobotomy patient. "Okay."

"Tell Chiron I'll be right there," I said, and Malcolm left in a hurry. As soon as he left the room, I heard him sprint away as fast as possible.

I rubbed my eyes. "You go ahead, Percy. I'd better get ready for archery."

I was sad, and scared, and so many other things I didn't want to admit to myself. I really needed to get out of there, but somehow I didn't want to leave either.


	5. The KISS

Percy's POV

"Put your cap back on," I said. "Get out!"

"What?" Annabeth shrieked. "No! I'm not leaving you."

"I've got a plan. I'll distract them. You can use the metal spider—maybe it'll lead you back to Hephaestus. You have to tell him what's going on."

"But you'll be killed!"

"I'll be fine. Besides, we've got no choice."

Annabeth glared at me like she was going to punch me. And then she did something that surprised me even more. She kissed me.

"Be careful, Seaweed Brain." She put on her hat and vanished.

I probably would've sat there for the rest of the day, staring at the lava and trying to remember what my name was, but the sea demons jarred me back to reality.

Annabeth's POV

"Put your cap back on," Percy suddenly commanded, in a hard tone. "Get out!"

"What?" I practically blasted his eardrums off. "No! I'm not leaving you."

What on Hades was that boy thinking? It would be suicide without me. Or with me for that matter. But I was not going to let him do that for me. We were a team, to whatever end. 

"I've got a plan. I'll distract them. You can use the metal spider—maybe it'll lead you back to Hephaestus. You have to tell him what's going on."

"But you'll be killed!"

"I'll be fine. Besides, we've got no choice." He glanced at the oncoming Telekhines, and then back at me, his eyes telling me to hurry. No matter how stupidly brave he was being, he was right. I had to tell everyone what was going on.

I stared at him one last time, hating myself for what I was going to do. I felt like hitting something. Percy was going to sacrifice himself for me. And suddenly the rest of the stuff I had been dwelling on the past few weeks seemed so petty, so small. His eyes weren't scared, only rigidly determined on his plan. If only I had knew we had so little time…

I kissed him.

"Be careful, Seaweed Brain." I put on her hat and vanished. I didn't look, but I could feel his eyes on my back, as I prayed to the gods that he would be okay.


	6. Percy Returns

Percy's POV

Annabeth glared at me. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" And she stormed out of the room.

I stared at the doorway. I felt like hitting something. "So much for being the bravest friend she's ever had."

"She will calm down," Chiron promised. "She's jealous, my boy."  
"That's stupid. She's not...it's not like..."

Chiron chuckled. "It hardly matters. Annabeth is very territorial about her friends in case you haven't noticed. She was quite worried about you. And now that you're back, I think she suspects where you were marooned."

Annabeth's POV

The realization hit me like a hurricane. I knew where he had been. And I felt like punching the crap out of him. "You are the single most annoying person I have ever met!" I stormed out of the room.

I thought he made that brave stand against the Telekhines for, you know, a reason. I thought maybe I would be that reason. I mean, we aren't…you know. But still. I thought we were closer than that.

But no, Seaweed Brain took a detour to Ogygia, on a two-week rest-and-relaxation resort with _Calypso_. No wonder he got "lost". All major heroes had at one point been "lost" with Calypso. I just thought he was different.

I wandered around camp aimlessly, ignoring the other campers who stared at me, wondering if my outburst at Percy's return was a sign of me going insane. I wasn't so sure myself. I felt tears in my eyes, which were becoming more and more common these few weeks. I felt myself cracking under stress.


	7. ALMOST Confession

Percy's POV

"There's a private school out there that I'll be going to," she said. "I'll probably hate it, but…" she shrugged.

"Yeah, well, call me, okay?"

"Sure," she said half-heartedly. "I'll keep my eyes open for…"

There it was again. _Luke_. She couldn't even say his name without opening up a huge box of hurt and worry and anger.

"Annabeth," I said. "What was the rest of the prophecy?"

She fixed her eyes on the woods in the distance, but she didn't say anything.

"_You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze," _I remembered. 

"_The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise. _We raised a lot of the dead. We saved Ethan Nakamura, who turned out to be a traitor. We raised the spirit of Pan, the lost one."

Annabeth shook her head like she wanted me to stop.

"_You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," _I pressed on. "That wasn't Minos, like I'd thought. It was Nico. By choosing to be on our side, he saved us. And _the child of Athena's final stand—_that was Daedalus."

"Percy—"

"_Destroy with a hero's final breath_. That makes sense now. Daedalus died to destroy the Labyrinth. But what was the last—"

"_And lose a love to worse than death." _Annabeth had tears in her eyes.

"That was the last line, Percy. Are you happy now?"

The sun seemed colder than it had a moment ago. "Oh," I said. "So Luke—"

"Percy, I didn't know who the prophecy was talking about. I—I didn't know if…" She faltered helplessly. "Luke and I—for years, he was the only one who really cared about me. I thought…"

Before she could continue, a sparkle of light appeared next to us, like someone had opened a gold curtain in the air.

Annabeth's POV

"There's a private school out there that I'll be going to," I said. "I'll probably hate it, but…" I shrugged. So much had happened. The mortal world suddenly seemed so unbelievably _small_.

"Yeah, well, call me, okay?" He glanced at me, sincerely worried.

"Sure," I said half-heartedly. I didn't know if he meant it. There were a few times this summer, when I thought something was really going to happen. But every single time, something cropped up. It was complicated. Seaweed Brain was complicated. "I'll keep my eyes open for…Luke," I whispered. Saying Luke's name still hurt a little, even after all this time.

Percy looked away, unexpectedly pained, but the expression cleared again almost immediately.

"Annabeth," he looked up again. "What was the rest of the prophecy?"

I fixed her eyes on the woods in the distance, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want him to know, not now.

"_You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze," _he recited. 

"_The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise. _We raised a lot of the dead. We saved Ethan Nakamura, who turned out to be a traitor. We raised the spirit of Pan, the lost one."

I shook my head. _Stop it!_ I wanted to yell.

"_You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," _he pressed on. "That wasn't Minos, like I'd thought. It was Nico. By choosing to be on our side, he saved us. And _the child of Athena's final stand—_that was Daedalus."

"Percy—"

"_Destroy with a hero's final breath_. That makes sense now. Daedalus died to destroy the Labyrinth. But what was the last—"

"_And lose a love to worse than death." _My eyes stung. He would find out how much more I cared about him than he did for me. The gears were turning in his head as his eyes widened in realization. I felt so stupid, a stupid child of Athena succumbing to her stupid emotions.

"That was the last line, Percy. Are you happy now?" I said coldly.

"Oh," he said quietly. "So Luke—"

He was honestly _so_ stupid. It was partly Luke, but it was also partly _him._ And he didn't notice at all. How many moments did I imagine? I reshuffled through all my memories of this summer, of the previous summer. He really didn't notice _anything_. All those moments that I fretted about like a regular silly teenage girl were all in my head. My heart was cracking in half.

"Percy, I didn't know who the prophecy was talking about. I—I didn't know if…" I faltered helplessly. I was going to have to tell him. "Luke and I—for years, he was the only one who really cared about me. I thought…"

Before I could continue, a sparkle of light appeared next to us, like someone had opened a gold curtain in the air.


	8. Another Almost Confession

Percy's POV

"I'm sorry," Annabeth told me. "I-I should get back. I'll keep in touch."

"Listen, Annabeth-" I thought about Mount St. Helens, Calypso's Island, Luke, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and how suddenly everything had gotten so complicated. I wanted to tell Annabeth that I didn't really want to be so distant from her.

Then Argus honked his horn down the road, and I lost my chance.

"You'd better get going," Annabeth said. "Take care, Seaweed Brain."

She jogged down the hill. I watched her until she reached that cabins. She didn't look back once.

Annabeth's POV

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I-I should get back. I'll keep in touch." I knew I wouldn't. It hurt too much.

"Listen, Annabeth-" he stuttered. _Save it_, I wanted to tell him. Every word he said was like a stab to me. There was nothing he could say to fix this.

Then Argus honked his horn down the road, and I was saved by the bell.

"You'd better get going," I said. "Take care, Seaweed Brain." I meant it. I hoped he would end up with his happy ending. Maybe it would be without me, but I hoped it would be happy.

I jogged down the hill. I didn't look back.


	9. Appearances

Percy's POV

Annabeth ran in right behind him, and I'll admit my heart did a little relay race in my chest when I saw her. It's not that she tried to look good. We'd been doing so many combat missions lately, she hardly brushed her curly blond hair anymore, and she didn't care what clothes she was wearing - usually the same old orange camp T-shirt and jeans, and once in a while her bronze armor. Her eyes were stormy gray. Most of the time we couldn't get through a conversation without trying to strangle each other. Still, just seeing her made me feel fuzzy in the head. Last summer, before Luke turned into Kronos and everything went sour, there had been a few times when I thought maybe...well, that we might get past the strangle-each-other phase.

Annabeth's POV

I ran in behind Chiron, frantically looking for Percy. _He's alive, he's alive,_ I chanted to myself. When I saw him, a wave of relief immediately ran through me, along with a strong pulsing in my head. It was just Seaweed Brain, but he looked so…different now. I mean, he still had his unmanageably tousled dark hair and his clear, intense eyes, but he was older. He was a tiny fraction taller than me now, more strongly built. He had bruises and cuts everywhere and burn marks on his orange t-shirt. In spite of everything last summer, I felt a little lightheaded looking at him.


	10. Mish Mash of Different Mmoments

Percy's POV

"You know..." She brushed her hair behind her ear, like she does when she's nervous. "This whole thing with Beckendorf and Silena. It kind of makes you think. About...what's important. About losing people who are important."

I nodded. My brain started seizing on little random details, like the fact that she was still wearing those silver owl earrings from her dad, who was this braniac military history professor in San Francisco.

"Um, yeah," I stammered. "Like...is everything cool with your family?"

Okay, really stupid question, but hey, I was nervous.

Annabeth looked disappointed, but she nodded.

"My dad wanted to take me to Greece this summer," she said wistfully. "I've always wanted to see-"

"The Parthenon," I remembered.

Annabeth's POV

"You know..." I brushed my hair behind my ear, fidgeted with my necklace a little bit. "This whole thing with Beckendorf and Silena. It kind of makes you think. About...what's important. About losing people who are important." I stared at him, and we locked eyes. My heart thudded in anticipation.

He nodded. My heart was lifted a few thousand feet.

"Um, yeah," he stammered nervously. "Like…is everything cool with your family?"

Not at all what I was talking about. My heart came crashing back to earth. I tried not to let it show in my face. I nodded quickly.

Percy's POV

She threw down her scroll. "I knew we shouldn't have shown you the prophecy." Her voice was angry and hurt. "All it did was scare you. You run away from things when you're scared."

I stared at her, completely stunned. _"Me? _Run away?"

She got right in my face. "Yes, you. You're a coward, Percy Jackson!"

We were nose to nose. Her eyes were red, and I suddenly realized that when she called me a coward, maybe she wasn't talking about the prophecy.

"If you don't like our chances," she said, "maybe you should go on that vacation with Rachel."

"Annabeth-"

"If you don't like our company."

"That's not fair!"

Annabeth's POV

I had it. I threw down the scroll I was clutching, almost ripping in my hand. "I knew we shouldn't have shown you the prophecy. All it did was scare you. You run away from things when you're scared."

He stared at me, completely stunned. _"Me? _Run away?" He looked so clueless I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

I got right in his face. "Yes, you. You're a coward, Percy Jackson!"

We were nose to nose. Sure, he faced dangerous monsters head on. But he was always skirting around me. Whenever I tried to talk to him, he either didn't understand or tried not to hear. And I was guessing he was trying not to hear, or he was _really _clueless. My eyes hurt. He just stared back in bewildered surprise, before finally understanding.

"If you don't like our chances, maybe you should go on that vacation with Rachel." He obviously wasn't a coward in front of her.

"Annabeth – " he started

"If you don't like our company," I finished.

"That's not fair!

Percy's POV

I kept my eyes on Annabeth.

She nodded reluctantly. "All right. Get moving."

Before I could lose my courage, I said, "Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?"

I figured she would punch me. Instead, she drew her knife and stared at the army marching toward us. "Come back alive, Seaweed Brain. Then we'll see."

Annabeth's POV

He kept staring at me even though Kronos's army was right across the bridge.

I nodded, getting into the battle mood. "All right. Get moving."

He almost turned toward the opposing army, and then paused a bit. "Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?" He looked at me hopefully.

Well, that hit me by surprise. Suddenly he was looking at me like that instead of skipping off with _Rachel_ or _Calypso_. Perfect timing though. Right before we were about to die. A pulse was throbbing in my ears and I was itching to look at his too-intense eyes, but we had a battle to get back to. "Come back alive, Seaweed Brain. Then we'll see."


	11. You're Cute When You're Worried

**Percy's POV**

Once she was gone, I knelt next to Annabeth and felt her forehead. She was still burning up.

"You're cute when you're worried," she muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."

"You are _not_ going to die while I owe you a favor," I said. "Why did you take that knife?"

"You would've done the same for me."

It was true. I guess we both knew it. Still, I felt like someone was poking my heart with a cold metal rod. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

I looked around to make sure we were alone. Then I leaned in close and whispered: "My Achilles spot. If you hadn't taken that knife, I would've died."

She got a faraway look in her eyes. Her breath smelled of grapes, maybe from the nectar. "I don't know, Percy. I just had this feeling you were in danger. Where...where is the spot?"

I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. But this was Annabeth. If I couldn't trust her, I couldn't trust anyone.

"The small of my back."

She lifted her hand. "Where? Here?"

She put her hand on my spine, and my skin tingled. I moved her fingers to the one spot that grounded me to my mortal life. A thousand volts of electricity seemed to arc through my body.

"You saved me," I said. "Thanks."

She removed her hand, but I kept holding it.

"So you owe me," she said weakly. "What else is new?"

Annabeth's POV

I looked around, but my eyes were still fuzzy. I felt weird, like I was watching myself from somewhere far away. Percy knelt next to me, his brow knitted in worry.

"You're cute when you're worried," I muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together." Thoughts were bursting out of my mouth without my brain reviewing them first.

"You are _not_ going to die while I owe you a favor," he said fiercely. "Why did you take that knife?"

"You would've done the same for me."

It was true. I guess we both knew it.

"How did you know?" His eyes were two giant question marks.

"Know what?"

He looked around to make sure we were alone. Then he leaned in close and whispered: "My Achilles spot. If you hadn't taken that knife, I would've died."

I felt like I was looking right through him. "I don't know, Percy. I just had this feeling you were in danger. Where...where is the spot?" It was probably really intrusive of me to ask, but I felt like I needed to know. This was Percy. I would have trusted him with my Achilles spot if I had one.

"The small of my back," he answered immediately.

I lifted my hand. "Where? Here?"

I put my hand on his spine, and I felt the tingling of power. His mortal life was concentrated in this one spot, and he trusted me enough to tell me. He felt warm, like sunlight reflecting off seawater.

"You saved me," he said. "Thanks."

I removed her hand, but he kept holding it, looking at me intently.

"So you owe me," I said weakly. "What else is new?"


	12. Immortality

**Percy's POV  
**

I glanced back. Annabeth was trying not to meet my eyes. Her face was pale. I flashed back to two years ago, when I'd thought she was going to take the pledge to Artemis and become a Hunter. I'd been on the edge of a panic attack, thinking that I'd lose her. Now, she looked pretty much the same way.

Annabeth POV

There was no way he would refuse immortality. He would become a god. Work under his father, for eternity. Maybe he would visit Grover and me for the first few years. Then his visits would become less and less often. He would spend time in the company of admirable gods, of beautiful women who only see his godliness instead of _him_. I wouldn't be able to call him Seaweed Brain anymore. And I would eventually succumb to time, while he went on with his life. This threat was more than Rachel or Calypso or anything that small. The thought made my heart drop into my stomach. I was really losing him this time.


	13. Best Underwater Kiss Ever

Percy's POV

Slowly, the dinner crowd trickled away. Some went to the campfire for a sing-along. Others went to bed. I sat at the Poseidon table by myself and watched the moonlight on Long Island Sound. I could see Grover and Juniper at the beach, holding hands and talking. It was peaceful.

"Hey." Annabeth slid next to me on the bench. "Happy birthday."

She was holding a huge misshapen cupcake with blue icing.

I stared at her. "What?"

"It's August 18th," she said. "Your birthday, right?"

I was stunned. It hadn't even occurred to me, but she was right. I had

turned sixteen this morning-the same morning I'd made the choice to

give Luke the knife. The prophecy had come true right on schedule,

and I hadn't even thought about the fact that it was my birthday.

"Make a wish," she said.

"Did you bake this yourself?" I asked.

"Tyson helped."

"That explains why it looks like a chocolate brick," I said. "With extra blue cement."

Annabeth laughed.

I thought for a second, then blew out the candle. We cut it in half and shared, eating with our fingers. Annabeth sat next to me, and we watched the ocean. Crickets and monsters were making noise in the woods, but otherwise it was quiet.

"You saved the world," she said.

"We saved the world."

"And Rachel is the new Oracle, which means she won't be dating anybody."

"You don't sound disappointed," I noticed.

Annabeth shrugged. "Oh, I don't care."

"Uh-huh."

She raised an eyebrow. "You got something to say to me, Seaweed Brain?"

"You'd probably kick my butt."

"You _know _I'd kick your butt."

I brushed the cake off my hands. "When I was at the River Styx, turning invulnerable . . .Nico said I had to concentrate on one thing that kept me anchored to the world, that made me want to stay mortal."

Annabeth kept her eyes on the horizon. "Yeah?"

"Then up on Olympus," I said, "when they wanted to make me a god and stuff, I kept thinking-"

"Oh, you so wanted to."

"Well, maybe a little. But I didn't, because I thought-I didn't want things to stay the same for eternity, because things could always get better. And I was thinking . . ." My throat felt really dry.

"Anyone in particular?" Annabeth asked, her voice soft.

I looked over and saw that she was trying not to smile.

"You're laughing at me," I complained.

"I am not!"

"You are _so _not making this easy."

Then she laughed for real, and she put her hands around my neck. "I am never, _ever _going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it."

When she kissed me, I had the feeling my brain was melting right through my body. I could've stayed that way forever, except a voice behind us growled," Well, it's about time!"

Suddenly the pavilion was filled with torchlight and campers.

Clarisse led the way as the eavesdroppers charged and hoisted us both onto their shoulders.

"Oh, come on!" I complained. "Is there no privacy?"

"The lovebirds need to cool off!" Clarisse said with glee.

"The canoe lake!" Connor Stoll shouted.

With a huge cheer, they carried us down the hill, but they kept us close enough to hold hands. Annabeth was laughing, and I couldn't help laughing too, even though my face was completely held hands right up to the moment they dumped us in the water.

Afterward, I had the last laugh. I made an air bubble at the bottom of the lake. Our friends kept waiting for us to come up, but hey-when you're the son of Poseidon, you don't have to hurry.

And it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time.

Annabeth's POV

I came back from kitchen without Tyson, but with a big blue chocolate cupcake. Sure, it looked gross, but hey, we tried. The campers had cleared away, but I saw one lone, brooding figure sitting at the Poseidon table watching the moonlight reflect off the Long Island sound. I smiled. Things were perfect, for once.

"Hey." I slid next to him on the bench, holding out the cake. "Happy birthday."

Percy stared at me. "What?"

"It's August 18th," I said. "Your birthday, right?"

I rolled my eyes. He didn't really forget, did he? Seaweed Brain…

"Make a wish," I said.

"Did you bake this yourself?" he asked, suspicious.

"Tyson helped."

"That explains why it looks like a chocolate brick," he said. "With extra blue cement."

I laughed.

He thought for a second, then blew out the candle, staring intently. I wondered what he wished for. We cut it in half and shared, eating with our fingers. I sat next to him, and we watched the ocean for who knows how long. The blue light reflected off his black hair, casting a lowlight glow on his face.

"You saved the world," I said.

"We saved the world."

"And Rachel is the new Oracle, which means she won't be dating anybody," I said smugly. I admit, it felt good saying that.

"You don't sound disappointed," he noticed.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I don't care."

"Uh-huh," he smiled knowingly.

I raised an eyebrow. "You got something to say to me, Seaweed Brain?"

"You'd probably kick my butt."

"You _know _I'd kick your butt."

He brushed the cake off my hands. "When I was at the River Styx, turning invulnerable . . .Nico said I had to concentrate on one thing that kept me anchored to the world, that made me want to stay mortal." My heart thudded in anticipation. He was finally stepping up to the plate.

I tried to keep my eyes off his face. "Yeah?"

"Then up on Olympus," he said, "when they wanted to make me a god and stuff, I kept thinking-"

"Oh, you so wanted to." I smiled. The war was over now. I could tease and joke with him like a normal friend instead of a battle buddy.

"Well, maybe a little. But I didn't, because I thought-I didn't want things to stay the same for eternity, because things could always get better. And I was thinking . . ." he stumbled and stalled painfully.

"Anyone in particular?" I asked quietly, encouraging him gently. I had to smile though. He was still awkward, like the boy I knew five years ago.

He glanced at me.

"You're laughing at me," he complained.

"I am not!"

"You are _so _not making this easy."

I let out my laughter. Then I looked straight at his eyes, falling in. I laid one hand on his shoulder, and then wrapped the other one around neck. Our faces were close now. It felt so right. 

"I am never, _ever _going to make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it."

I kissed him.

I could've stayed that way forever, except a voice behind us growled," Well, it's about time!"

Suddenly the pavilion was filled with torchlight and campers.

Clarisse led the way as the eavesdroppers charged and hoisted us both onto their shoulders.

"Oh, come on!" he complained. "Is there no privacy?"

"The lovebirds need to cool off!" Clarisse said with glee.

"The canoe lake!" Connor Stoll shouted.

With a huge cheer, they carried us down the hill, but they kept us close enough to hold hands. I started laughing, and he couldn't help laughing too, even though his face was tomato-red. We held hands right up to the moment they dumped us in the water.

I choked up water, and it wasn't the least bit romantic. Until Percy made an air bubble at the bottom of the lake. For a guy who took so long to say so few words, he certainly knew exactly the right thing to do.

And it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time.


End file.
